Into Troubled Waters
by euromagpie
Summary: Reasons not to touch Mysterious Sith Artefacts (based on dakt37's My Two Padawans AU on tumblr). De-aged!Obi-Wan. Set during the Clone Wars. Crosspost from AO3.
1. Wherein Cody is Politely Incredulous

Cody could only stare at the scene in front of him. For all his days serving in the Wars, he'd never seen a sight quite so…bizarre. Unusual. Curious. Odd.

But he was getting off track. A series of shuffled movements before him brought him back to the present. Just…how had this happened?

General Kenobi and the 212th had been sent out to capture a Seppie Colonel who had been responsible for three ambushes in the last month, costing the GA four ships and two battlefronts. They'd tracked Colonel Evaa to the Outer Rim and had been close on his tail, engaged in battle, in fact, when he'd promptly deserted his ship. His escape capsule had jettisoned out and been caught in the gravity bubble of a nearby Force-dead moon. The General had accompanied Ghost Company to catch Evaa down on the planet.

When they'd landed, they'd been faced with the crashed, flaming wreckage of the escape capsule, with the most definitely dead Colonel still strapped inside. Most creatures didn't survive violent decapitation.

Cody had expected to return to the ship immediately to help chase down the rest of the Colonel's entourage, but the General had said he'd sensed something, commanding Cody to accompany him to find the source of the Disturbance. Judging from the General's drawn face, it really was a disturbance worthy of a capital letter. A Disturbance.

It only took cresting one hill before they were confronted with what was indubitably their target. Before them sat a squat, sprawling building, old, ancient probably and in a terrible state of disrepair. And yet…even a Force-dead clone like he could sense the ominous aura this place seemed to be emitting. He heard a small noise from beside him.

"General?" He asked, turning. Obi-Wan was staring at the place, face pale.

" _Sith_."

"What!" Cody turned back to the building.

"That. It's a Sith temple. It's practically _drenched_ in the Dark side. We probably shouldn't go near it."

There was a moment of silence as they both considered the building.

"General?"

The General had given him a wry grin.

"Let's go have a look."

The inside of the Temple was just as desolate as the outside. They walked through the building which at this point was just one long corridor – the wings, with their slender pillars, had collapsed hundreds of years ago. Blaster held ready in the crook of his arm, Cody carefully skirted a pile of rubble, scanning the area. The General seemed just as focussed, hand occasionally drifting to the lightsaber at his side. Every step they took sent a column of dust swirling gently through the graveyard-silent air. Dull light filtered crimson through the red-paned windows, barely illuminating remnants of spiky Sith patterns on the tiled floor.

Cody could safely say he did not like this place.

Regardless, he dutifully followed his CO. They finally reached the end of the temple. It opened up into a somewhat disappointing round chamber, with an anti-climactic stone altar in the middle. Before the altar lay what looked to have once been a stasis chamber, the glass front smashed in. Through the shards, Cody could just make out a small skeleton inside, surrounded by the ashes of its old flesh and cloth.

"Hello. What's this?" Cody heard the General mutter. He looked up from his perusal to see the General had skipped the stasis chamber entirely and was focussed on something atop the altar. He edged around the Jedi to get a look too.

Innocuously perched on the plain stone top was a cloudy red crystal pyramid. Both Cody and the General looked at it for a moment.

Then the General did, in Cody's humble opinion, a tremendously stupid thing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi reached out to touch the mysterious, crimson Sith artefact.

There was a blast of, well, it wasn't light exactly, and Cody was pretty sure it wasn't a bomb. A Force wave? Probably. Who knew in this day and age. The, let's call it a Force wave for want of a better name, swept through the chamber, knocking Cody clean off his feet. He managed to land in a way that broke no bones, but did dent his armour in uncomfortable placed. Not that he was too concerned about that – at the moment, he was frantically scanning the settling dust for his idiot General.

If he'd just blown himself up because he acted like some kind of curious child, Cody would- Cody would- He would do _something_ that was probably inappropriate to do to a commanding officer.

With a mild amount of clatter, Cody picked himself up, waving a hand through the air to try and clear the dust enough to see.

"General Kenobi? Sir?" He called into the wall of beige. There was a muffled noise, but no verbal response. He cautiously hefted his blaster, and waited.

Eventually the dust settled.

And that was how the clone commander found himself staring down in bewilderment at a short, scruffy-haired, twig armed boy trying to swim his way through the ridiculous layers of Jedi garments draped limply on his frame. The boy that was undoubtedly Obi-Wan looked down at himself.

"Aw, poodoo." He muttered.

Cody couldn't agree more.


	2. Wherein Anakin Catches Early Onset DADS

Obi-Wan was perched on the edge of the comm. console, swinging his small feet in the air, gravely observing the people assembled before him. Cody was standing in front of him, helmet under his arm, recounting the whole situation to a stony-faced Plo Koon. Not that the Kel Dorian master was ever anything other than stony faced. Actually, upon reflection, he might never be stony faced. For all Obi-Wan knew, Plo Koon could be sticking his tongue out at him right now under his mask.

Now Plo Koon was talking back to Cody, in that bland tone of his that was Decidedly Unamused. Oh dear.

"What happened to the artefact?" He asked. Cody shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know, sir. I think it must have smashed, or disintegrated. I couldn't find it anywhere."

"Hmmm. Is Kenobi in a sound state of mind?"

Right, that's enough. Obi-Wan folded his short arms and frowned with all the disapproval a 14 year old baby face could muster. Which wasn't a lot.

"I _am_ right here, you know." He mumbled. Oh yes, the dratted mumble was back – it was all the fault of Bant who had convinced him to get braces around thirteen and he'd developed a mumble through it that had driven Qui-Gon crazy for _years_ before he shook the habit.

Plo Koon, with the professional skills of a Jedi Master, ignored him.

"We must return to Coruscant immediately. Commander, please lay in a course. I need to return to my own flagship, however, Skywalker should be here any minu-"

"You called _Anakin?!_ " Now, under normal circumstances, Anakin would not deserve the tones of horror and dismay that coloured his Master's voice, but now…

The _Negotiator_ 's bridge doors slid open.

 _Speak of the Sith_ , Obi-Wan grumbled to himself, somewhat uncharitably.

"Master Koon, I got your message, what-" Anakin stopped in the middle of the room as his eyes settled on Obi-Wan, still perched on the main communications console. His eyes widened comically.

"Obi-Wan? You're-"

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes.

"Anakin, don't." He said, a warning tone in his voice.

"But you're so-"

"Aaaaanakin-"

"You're so _tiny_!" He exclaimed, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.

"Uuuuurgh." Obi-Wan groaned, flopping head back in exasperation. _Here we go._

"I- But- Wait, what _happened?_ " Anakin asked incredulously.

Before Cody had to re-tell the same story again, Obi-Wan cut to the chase.

"I touched something I shouldn't have." Anakin's eyebrows rose and he folded his arms.

"Oh ho, _did_ you, now? I seem to recall _someone_ telling me _multiple times_ , that curiosity killed the bantha."

Obi-Wan scowled and decided that it was in his rights as a member of the Jedi Council to not deign that jab with a reply.

"Skywalker, as I was saying, I will return to my ship. You should accompany Master Kenobi to Coruscant to… _explain_ the situation."

"Look here, I don't need a babysitter-"

"Of course, Master."

Plo Koon gave a nod to the room before striding out of the room. Cody was left in the awkward position of being caught between a rocky de-aged Jedi Master and a hard-faced Jedi Knight, who were apparently trying to Force push each other with just their eyes.

Obi-Wan blinked first.

"Cody, I don't suppose I could liberate a cup of coffee from your troop's quarters? I have a feeling this will be a long night." He sighed. Obi-Wan was, like his master, more naturally predisposed towards tea, so kept no coffee in his quarters. He had a feeling though he'd be needing it. Cody nodded and was about to pass on the order when Anakin held up a hand.

"Don't, Cody."

Obi-Wan turned a frosty glare onto Anakin.

"What?!" He asked in disbelief. Anakin looked back at him, unimpressed.

"Obi-Wan, who was it that said padawans were forbidden coffee past six?"

"Anakin, I am _not_ a padawan!" He exploded.

"Said the five foot three boy with a nerf tail!"

Cody thanked his training in that he was able to resist sniggering at the sight the two Jedi presented – Anakin Skywalker, General of the Grand Army glaring, arms crossed, at a young boy who was trying his hardest to not pout.

The silence was finally broken when the door slid open again to show a disgruntled-looking Ahsoka.

"Skyguy, you need shorter legs." She complained, unaware of the battle of wills she'd walked into. She peered at Obi-Wan.

"Who're you?" She asked.

Obi-Wan groaned again as Anakin smirked.

" _This,_ my padawan, is my _second_ padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"No." Obi-Wan flatly refused.

"Yes."

"Noooo."

"Yeeees."

" _No_."

Ahsoka looked from one to the other in bewilderment.

"What."


	3. Wherein Something is Temporarily Wrong

Obi-Wan woke screaming in terror, hands flailing through the air, trying to fight against the hands that grasped at him. He couldn't stop, the horror chased him from the dream to real life, the red of the saber blade, the snap-hiss as it whirled through the air-

Two strong hands caught his wrists and pulled him tight against a strong chest. He felt long hair brush against his cheeks and a familiar Force signature sent calming waves to him. He tensed for a minute before relaxing, turning his face into the comforting rough weave of a Jedi tunic. Obi-Wan took a shuddering breath.

"'M sorry, I'm sorry you were dead and I wasn't there, you were too far away, Master, forgive me, forgive me." He muttered. He knew he was rambling, that his Master wouldn't approve of the waves of fear that were no doubt radiating out from him, but it was impossible to just discard. It was a vision; it felt too real to be otherwise, he was sure of it. It was a vision and it _terrified him_ beyond words. Everything was red and silver and red and black and red, red, red-

"It's okay, Obi-Wan." Came a voice from above that was definitely _not_ his master.

He froze for a second before yanking himself violently from the grip of the other, throwing himself back on the bed until his back hit the wall with a near painful thud. A quick flick of the Force bathed the room in blue-white light.

"W-who are you?" He asked. The man before him was obviously a Jedi, the clothes and his pure connection to the Force spoke of that, but he was no-one Obi-Wan had ever seen before at the Temple. Perhaps he was from another outpost, but why did he feel so… _familiar_ then?

"My name's Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan. You're on board the starship _Negotiator_. We're heading back to Coruscant." The other Jedi, Skywalker, spoke with a deep, calming voice, hands on his knees, away from his 'saber.

Obi-Wan tried to take a calming breath. He licked his lips.

"Why- Where is my Master?" He asked, and yes, _this_ was what had disquieted him, the feeling of _wrong_ that had been a background niggle as soon as he'd woken up; Qui-Gon wasn't on board the ship. According to his bond, Qui-Gon wasn't _anywhere_. He couldn't sense even a scrap of emotion across their bond. Even a Force-suppression collar or drug would be easy to spot – they couldn't make a Jedi _disappear_ , just slam a wall down to cut off the bond, which was easy to sense. There was no such thing happening now.

Obi-Wan could feel his heart-rate picking up again. Where _was_ he? He was on a ship he couldn't remember getting on, with a Jedi he'd never met, and Qui-Gon was-

Obi-Wan blinked.

Anakin sat on the edge of Obi-Wan's bed, watching his small Master try to protect himself from him, and it hurt. His heart broke when the boy had asked for his Master, but he knew he just had to wait. Any moment now-

Obi-Wan blinked, and it was as though Anakin could _see_ the emotions drain out of him like water through a colander. Obi-Wan instantly relaxed, looking at him curiously.

"Anakin? What are you doing here?" He asked, with none of the wild terror or distrust from before. He felt something unknown loosen inside him and he sighed in relief.

"You had a nightmare, Master." He said.

Obi-Wan frowned, picking at his sweat-soaked clothes.

"I did? I don't remember that. Oh well, I rather think it's about time I got up anyway. I can't leave you and Ahsoka alone for too long, now, can I?" He mumbled, hopping off the bed and stretching.

The sudden relapses of his mind worried Anakin. He'd had about three of them in one night, and if it wasn't that time on Naboo, it was the time on Kadavo, or the hundreds of other battlefronts they'd faced during the Wars, filtering through his consciousness as vibrant memories without source. And every time Obi-Wan woke up thrashing like an electrified Gungan, his dreams screaming out through the Force so loudly Ahsoka had jumped a foot the first time. Anakin had sworn to be there after that, because that amount of fear coming from his Master was just _wrong_.

Suddenly Obi-Wan's small face was in his view, looking at him with concern.

"Anakin?" He asked worriedly.

He grinned weakly.

"C'mon Master, I think Snips and I can handle things for now."

"Well I suppose Cody _is_ there to tug on your leash every now and then." He teased, hand reaching up to stroke a non-existing beard. He had to wave his hand several times to unearth it beneath the large folds of cloth draping down his arms. He flapped it once in exasperation before sighing.

Anakin looked him up and down with a thoughtful expression, measuring up Obi-Wan's new form.

"You're about the same height as Snips. Maybe she can lend you some new clothes." He suggested, picking up on Obi-Wan irritation with the fit of his old clothes. He'd tried rolling the sleeves and trouser-legs up, but they kept falling down regardless. He'd already had to discard his belt, the leather not cinching to the skinny waist of a 14 year old.

Obi-Wan nodded in relief.

"That would be appreciated – it has been one day and I can see the predatory glimpse in my soldier's eyes. Before the day is out, _someone_ is going to ruffle my hair. I can sense it in the Force." He mumbled sadly, idly flopping the long sleeves about. He yawned and gestured to the door.

"Let's see what havoc Rex had wreaked in our absence." He joked.

Surprisingly, no havoc had been wreaked when they entered the bridge, by Rex or otherwise. The two had stopped by the refectory on the way, and Obi-Wan was now cradling a hot cup of tea in his hands, his sleeves wrapped around his hands as a barrier. They reached the bridge and Anakin immediately split to talk in low tones with Ahsoka, who had apparently taken it upon herself to make sure the bridge ran smoothly during the night cycle. He perched himself on the communications console again – it was a very convenient height and was out of everyone's way. He idly watched the stars go by, submerging himself in the soft waves of the Force as he started planning for the Council meeting he'd have to attend on Coruscant.

He was so immersed in thought he didn't notice Ahsoka leave, the door hissing open for her, holding for a moment and then closing behind a clone trooper. Sub-consciously, he registered the orange paint.

He was still zoned out when Cody came by and he felt a heavy hand absently floof his hair as it went by.

He snapped back to reality with a slow blink.

Cody had gone a few steps before he, too, stopped, stared at his hand and then slowly, very slowly, turned to face his commanding officer. Their eyes met.

Somewhere in the ether, the Force sniggered.


	4. Wherein Obi-Wan Ith a Thmall Furry Thing

Later on, Anakin would describe the scene before him as one of pure beauty. His Master, perched on a console with oversized clothes wrapped around his tiny hands, was looking at Cody with such a look of disappointment and reproach he was surprised time didn't rewind itself in shame. Cody, meanwhile, looked like he was facing off against an angry Wookie in his birthday suit – that is, wide-eyed and with a look that spelt resignation to imminent spontaneous combustion on his part. He was loathe to interrupt when his comm. bleeped.

"Obi-Wan, Snips has some clothes you can borrow." He said. Obi-Wan sniffed and jumped off the table with a small huff. He flicked his padawan braid (which he'd plaited completely on autopilot that morning) and strode out of the door, pausing only to carefully place his empty cup in the garbage chute nearby.

Force, his master was a cute kid.

Turning to Cody, Anakin clapped him on the shoulder, trying to ignore the rising flush on the clone's face.

"Commander, take over watching the bridge, would you? Good man." He grinned. Cody immediately straightened from where he'd been shuffling his feet and snapped to attention.

"On it, sir." He said, and took the opportunity to promptly put his helmet back on.

Still chuckling, Anakin left to check on his own men.

'Clothes' turned out to be a skintight pseudo-leather dress and tights, along with a pair of boots and gloves.

"I'm sorry Obi-Wan, I thought I had some training tunics around, but I must not have brought any with me." Neither of them noticed her slip in formality. Obi-Wan's brows furrowed as he browsed the outfit. The outfit really wasn't a problem, except…

"This is fine, Ahsoka, but I don't suppose you have a newer set? This one's riddled with holes." He demonstrated, putting his fingers through a gap in the tights. Ahsoka giggled.

"No, no, that's _fashion_ , Obi-Wan."

He frowned, holding up the dress.

"Are you sure?" His voice sounded less than convinced. But Ahsoka nodded, a smile on her face, so he took the clothes and walked into the refresher to change, with only mild complaining. He came out red-faced and flustered five minutes later, hand over his chest.

"Why the Force would you have a hole _there?_ " He asked, scandalised. Ahsoka just laughed.

"Obi-Wan, you _have_ seen me wear this before, you know." She teased.

"Oh. Really? Huh, I honestly don't remember that." He muttered, uncovering the hole on the chest of the dress – he looked to be revising the padawan dress code even now in his head.

Before he could get too into amending Jedi constitutions, Ahsoka spoke.

"Does it fit alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, thank you. Surprisingly flexible, I must say." He said, lunging a few times before performing a standing back-flip. He flipped his padawan braid around from where it had ended up looped around his ear. Finally he cracked his neck.

"Wanna try it out in the training hall?" She asked – she'd been itching to square off with the de-aged Master ever since, well, ever since she saw his new…stature. With his current condition, she might actually beat him, and if she could win over the Great General Kenobi once, the memory would be cast in gold in her mind for life. Considering the war, it might even be her last chance.

The rather morbid thought was gently told to fuck off as Obi-Wan grinned and nodded, heading out of the door. Calling her sabers to her with Frivolous Force Use, Ahsoka trotted out after him.

As they walked along the hallways, Ahsoka couldn't help studying her companion. It felt strange to have to look _down_ at the Jedi Master, even if he was only an inch or so shorter than her. Still…

"I can't believe you were this small at my age, Obi-Wan." It was so easy to forgo titles when he looked like this – he hadn't the age of Yoda to pull of his size with any sort of dignity. Thankfully he didn't seem to insist on it either, whether it's because of his sudden absent-mindedness or just because he could sympathise with her.

"Hmph, you should have seen the picture my Master and I made at the beginning of my apprenticeship – he was a veritable mountain next to me. He actually pulled a muscle at the back of his neck once – blamed it on having to look down on me all the time." Obi-Wan groused.

Ahsoka laughed at the mental image, especially when you took into account the difference in leg length; Obi-Wan must have been running to keep up with his master's long strides, or his master would have had to walk at a snail's pace for him.

"Still, you remind me of something. You're small…and your hair is fuzzy…and you mumble…you're like, uh-" A new image sprang to mind and Ahsoka had to stop walking because she was laughing so hard she had to prop herself up on the durasteel wall. She tried to get a full sentence out but kept spluttering half-way through. Obi-Wan wasn't looking too impressed.

"You're like a- like a-"

"Oh dear, I don't think I want to hear this, do I?"

"You're like an ewok!" She finally gasped out, tears crawling down her eyes. She laughed even harder as Obi-Wan spluttered.

"Hey! What-, you-, Ahsoka!"

"Yes, Obi-Ewok?" She sniggered. There was a pause as something dawned on her. Her eyes widened as though she'd seen the Force itself. Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes.

"Oh no, whatever you're about to say, Padawan Tano, I suggest you don-"

"Obewok!"

"Ahsoka!"

Obi-Wan still wasn't talking to her by the time Ahsoka realised they were heading in completely the wrong direction.

"Uh, Obewok?" No response.

"Urgh, _fine_ , _Obi-wan_."

"Yes, Padawan Tano?" Obi-Wan responded sulkily.

"Aren't we heading to the training hall?" The padded hall where the troopers on the _Negotiator_ trained was located almost in the opposite direction to where they were headed.

"We are." Obi-Wan sounded very assured, and Ahsoka tried to orientate herself and frowned.

"No we're not."

"Yes we are.

" _No_ , we're _not_."

" _Yes_ , we _are_."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"D2!" Ahsoka saw the opportunity and took it. Obi-Wan looked back at her unimpressed. Or should that be pun-impressed, Ahsoka wondered. They rounded the final corner and came upon a large door. Obi-Wan touched the door pad and it slid open.

Obi-Wan's face fell.

"Huh. Okay." He sounded bewildered as he looked out onto the mess-hall. He scratched his head and looked back at Ahsoka sheepishly, who already had a 'told you so' smirk on her face. He ended up grinning though when Ahsoka's stomach suddenly let out a loud grumble.

"I suppose we could have ended up in a worse place. We should get some grub before we head to the training hall." He said – not just for Ahsoka either, he reflected as his stomach too made its complaints known. It wouldn't do to duel on an empty stomach, after all.

"Race you to the food." Ahsoka dared and was already rushing off with Obi-Wan hot on her heels. Now, Obi-Wan was _aware_ that he was actually 35 going on 40, but something in that simple challenge had evoked a long-buried instinct and his feet had moved before his brain had caught up.

Obi-Wan actually beat Ahsoka, sliding out his foot to touch the tray trolley, slapping on hand on the ground.

"SAFE!" He shouted as Ahsoka caught up. She stuck her tongue out at him and picked up two trays, handing on to Obi-Wan.

They food they got was the usual starship rations, being vaguely edible and entirely unappealing to look at. At this point, though, Obi-Wan was hungry enough to eat a Hutt if it came too close. The two quickly picked a table to sit at and dug into their food. Halfway through Ahsoka had initiated a foot war, which Obi-Wan, considering the way the rest of the day had been going, had resigned himself to participating (and winning – never let it be said General Kenobi would lose a foot war to a padawan).

He'd taken a particularly adventurous bite of goop when a tray suddenly slammed down on the table beside him.

"Greeting, padawans mine-" Anakin's obnoxious greeting was suddenly cut off my a pained exclamation from Obi-Wan.

"Aww, thithpit!" He swore, hand over his mouth. Ahsoka looked over at him in shock.

"Uh, you okay there Obi-Wan?" She asked, and Obi-Wan just flapped his free hand at her.

"'Thcuthe me, I jutht bit my tongue." He lisped. Anakin grinned.

"I'm _sorry_ Obi-Wan, what was that? I didn't quite underthtand you there." Obi-Wan made a very rude hand-gesture.

"Anakin, you're an ath."

"-set to the Republic, I'm sure you meant." He said.

"Yeah and that." Obi-Wan muttered, sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes to try and see the tip.

Today was not looking to be a good day.


End file.
